How to Stage A Condo for Sale
When it comes to selling your home, it’s all about first impressions. What prospective buyers see when they step through the front door of your condo can make or break their perception of the property. That’s where home staging comes in.
What is home staging, you ask? It’s the thoughtful process of putting your home’s best foot forward. Just because something looks good to you doesn’t mean that a prospective buyer will feel the same way. Staging your home to sell means that you do everything from rearranging furniture and bringing in temporary decor to making small improvements that will boost the number of potential buyers interested in your condo.
Whether you’re staging a condo for sale for the first time or are determined to get the highest asking price possible, here are a few home staging tips that are sure to help.
1. Take your personality out of it
The goal of home staging is to help prospective buyers envision your condo as their new home. The things you love are exactly that — things that you love. The more neutral and basic you keep things, the more your condo functions like a blank canvas that can be the perfect backdrop to its new owner’s life.
Get rid of clutter and take down as much of what’s hanging on the walls as possible without leaving the space bare.
2. Staging starts outside
You might think that prospective condo buyers only care about what’s inside. But from the moment a prospective buyer steps out of the elevator, they’re evaluating their potential new home. Make sure the hallway is tidied up as much as you can and make sure there’s nothing wrong with the door that will set off unnecessary alarm bells before a buyer even crosses the threshold.
3. Do a deep clean
Potential buyers are considering dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars on their new home — they’re going to notice everything, from the tiniest smudges on glass to dusty baseboards. Even a bit of dust that would otherwise be considered normal can communicate that you haven’t done everything to keep the condo in its best possible shape. Do a deep clean — it’ll go a long way.
4. Invest in small upgrades
If you have a toilet paper roll that keeps popping off the hinges, now is the time to spend a couple of dollars on a new one that not only works better but looks good, too. Consider swapping out big box brand hand and dish soap for boutique, local products. Replacing a mildew-y shower curtain with a sparkling white one will make a world of difference. Got painted cabinets? A fresh coat of paint can quickly freshen up even the oldest spaces.
5. Freshen up your space with scents and plants
Flowers might seem like a brilliant idea, but they’re not cheap and lose their luster after just a couple of days. Instead, opt for low maintenance plans like ZZ and snake plants or succulents that love sunlight but don’t need much water. Plants exude the same lively quality that flowers do but are a much easier and cost-effective option.
Then, ensure that everything smells great, too. Use candles or an essential oil diffuser to give your space a fresh, seasonal scent but make sure to not overdo it. An overpowering scent will leave people with headaches and you with fewer offers.
6. Make the most of the space you have
When you’ve been living in a place it can be hard to see it any differently than you have for so long. But just because you like the furniture a certain way doesn’t mean that you’re making the best use of the space.
This is an area where you should consider enlisting the help of friends or your realtor — anyone with a fresh set of eyes. Can you rearrange things to make the space feel bigger than it is? What about letting more light in? Making small adjustments can have a major impact on how the space comes across to prospective buyers who are seeing it for the first time.
Want some more staging inspiration? Maybe these condo staging tips and tricks paid off and you’re looking for a new condo now that your old place sold. From San Francisco to Miami and plenty of places in between, we have listings that are ready for you to browse today.
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